Is interested to know whether there are differences in the period of development of horns in sheep in those breeds in which horns are common to both sexes, and in those in which horns are confined to males.

Transcription

Down, Bromley, Kent

Nov. 17, 1868

I should be greatly obliged to anyone who keeps Merino sheep, or any
other breed in which the ewes are hornless, or to any one who has the
power of inquiring about such breeds, if he would take the trouble to
inform me at what age the horns first appear in the young rams, or
acquire a certain specified length, in comparison with other breeds of
sheep in which both sexes possess horns. Or, to put the case more
generally, is there any difference in the period of development of
the horns in the breeds in which they are common to both sexes, & in
those in which they are confined to the males? I am anxious for
information on this head, as I believe such facts have an important
bearing on an obscure point in inheritance.

In Descent 1: 286, CD suggested that a character that appeared
at an early age would tend to be inherited equally by both sexes; in
ibid., p. 289, he noted that, contrary to the general rule, he had
found no evidence that merinos
developed their horns later than sheep breeds in which both sexes had
horns.

+

f2 6464a.f2

The printed version of the letter, which appeared in Gardeners'
Chronicle, 21 November 1868, p. 1218, has been used to supply the
phrase, `or to any one who has the power of inquiring about such
breeds', which was omitted from the catalogue description of the
original letter.